Triumph and Loss on the Bruce Trail : Griersville Area to Rocklyn Creek
Triumph and Loss on the Bruce Trail
Completing Beaver Valley Section
The
'stealth' part of stealth camping generally requires one to walk until dark and
then be up and packed before dawn so as to be less evident. As such, we were
awake at 5:30 AM and packed up by 6 AM – though after trekking nearly 40
kilometres yesterday our bodies still hurt a great deal. Sitting on the side of
the trail beside our backpacks we made our breakfast. We quickly mixed up cold brew coffee from Tim
Hortons, gobbled down the last of our peanut butter and wraps, and got ready
for what was actually one of our shortest days on the Bruce Trail yet.
Our
estimate for today’s trek was that we had between 10 and 12 kilometres to cover
in order to get back to our rental car, which we hoped was still parked at
Blantyre. While this was indeed a short
distance with somewhat rested and refreshed bodies this morning, we felt that
it would have been a real challenge yesterday evening after the day’s already
long venture. If all went well, today’s
hike would bring us to the conclusion of the Beaver Valley section and about 3
kilometres into the Sydenham section.
There we planned to pick up our car, drive to Owen Sound for a well-deserved shower, do our laundry, and rest for the evening, before returning to
the trail tomorrow to continue trekking from where we left off in Rocklyn Creek
back into Owen Sound.
Thankfully
(not to give anything away) today’s short hike was essentially an easy stretch
of walking north to Griersville, where the trail turned west, heading to our
destination of Rocklyn Creek Management Area, which marked the end of the
Beaver Valley Section and the beginning of the Sydenham Section. In truth, had we had more energy in us
yesterday, and the unseasonably warm weather had not been so draining, we could
have (and likely should have) pushed for the Ambrose Camp area to conclude our
trek at an official camp area. We had
even been tempted to really push yesterday, but the end result would have been
a 40+ km day, which we simply did not have in us.
Regardless,
yesterday was yesterday and today we had only the trail in front of us. Packed and ready, we set off with our goal in
sight.
Griersville Management Area
Setting out, we continued on the trail through the maple forest where we had camped last night and navigated around lush green wetlands and marshes. There we saw Wood Duck boxes, the result of a regional research project or conservation initiative. Although we didn't spot any Wood Ducks, there were a number of Mallards paddling about in the shallow water, as well as a couple of Green-winged Teal. It was wonderful to see that these wetlands had been and preserved, as so many of them are increasingly getting filled for agricultural development and urban expansion. This is a growing problem, because wetlands are essential for improving the quality of our water, aiding in flood control, limiting erosion, and providing habitat for essential species.In quick succession, the Bruce Trail crossed a number of roadways and concessions as it led us across the top of the escarpment. En route, the trail continued across rocky outcroppings while keeping us under beautiful tree cover. Our largest challenge throughout this stretch was that yesterday’s brief rain shower had made some of the rocks slippery, which in turn required us to remain constantly aware of how we walked and where we placed our feet.
Entering open fields, we quickly discovered that the evening dew – enhanced by yesterday’s rain – meant that the tall grasses and underbrush that the trail meandered through were still very damp. As a result, within minutes we were soaked from the waist down and walking in sodden hiking boots. And so it was in this manner – very wet, watching the ground under our feet, and crossing concessions that we pushed on.
Anthea’s Waterfall
Crossing
the 7th line roadway, the Bruce Trail traced the edge of
agricultural fields under a dense canopy of trees. At one point, we crossed a fast-running
stream over a wonderful wooden bridge.
Once across, we took the opportunity to refill and treat some water, having
used the last of ours for breakfast almost 2 hours previously. Having collected and begun purifying our
water at the top of the short waterfall, we spotted a plaque noting that this
waterway is named for Anthea Catherine East.
Purportedly, she was the daughter of Dr. Tom East, one of the founders
of the BTC, who was killed in a bike accident at a very young age. The Wrong Sign
At one
point in our trek this morning we came across a wooden sign stating that we were
221 km to Tobermory and 664 km from Niagara Falls. While this is exciting news, these numbers
seemed somewhat suspect to us. Our
current estimates suggested that we had somewhere between 340 and 350
kilometres left before reaching Tobermory and that we had hiked some 550
kilometres since leaving Niagara Falls. Perhaps this sign was installed prior
to some change in the Bruce Trail, or perhaps it was the result of an
optimistic resident striving to encourage northbound hikers? Either way, we were undoubtedly closer to our
destination than our point of departure, and it was a nice reminder of that.Ending Beaver Valley, Beginning Sydenham
Within minutes of leaving Anthena’s Falls, we emerged from a small treed plantation onto Grey Rd 12. This innocuous concession is the home of the Village of Blantyre, and the dividing line between the Beaver Valley and Sydenham sections of the Bruce Trail. Standing there on the side of the road, our best guess was that we had now covered just over 60% of the Bruce Trail from Niagara Falls to Blantyre!Rocklyn Creek Management Area
In the
process of crossing the roadway and passing through Blantyre, the main route of
the Bruce Trail navigates down a farmer’s driveway beside a recently plowed
field. Soon afterwards, the trail took us back into the bush as we wove through
the forested landscape. Our elation at having completed the Beaver Valley section
of the Bruce Trail made it feel as though we glided through the final 3.3
kilometres across the beginning of the Sydenham section and into Rocklyn Creek
Management Area.Beaver Valley Completed
We ended our sectional thru-hike upon arriving at the western boundary of Rocklyn Creek Management Area. While we had thought of legally camping in Rocklyn Creek for a final night, we were both exhausted and desperate for proper food and a shower. With this in mind, and with the Beaver Valley Section completed, we promptly unstrapped our backpacks and tossed them with delight into the vehicle before driving the 35 kilometres to Owen Sound. Once in the town we got a motel room, had a long-awaited shower, and went out to celebrate.Triumph and Loss
Sitting down at a local restaurant, we were quick to order our meals and grab a couple of pints to celebrate the completion of the Beaver Valley Section of the Bruce Trail! With a few days left before we needed to be back home, we decided to use the time to push into the Sydenham section and determined that we could get back to Owen Sound if we did so. Having come so far, we were eager to continue on – such was our sense of triumph in the moment.See you on the Trail!
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